Appliance timing controller



April 24, 1951 P. MARTIN APPLIANCE TIMING CONTROLLER Filed Sept. 29, 1948 M 4 JU a f a 1 W 7 a T 5 AZ 93 9 -1 Kiwi 4 a f n M x M fiw a/vw w fi v5 Patented Apr. 24, 1951 APPLIANCE TIMING CONTROLLER Philip Martin, North Hollywood, Calif.

Application September 29, 1948, Serial No. 51,691

9 Claims. (01. 161--1) 1 This invention relates to a controller unit for timing the operation of devices such as fountain mixers or other devices including a manual or automatic device switch, and particularly to a portable unit of this character.

An object of the invention is to provide a controller of the character described which may be interposed between the convenience outlet and the appliance leads of the device with no extraneous connections and provide a timing circuit the operation of which i correlated with the closing of the circuit. to the device. a

Afurther object is to provide an inexpensive and effective portable timer for controlling the operation of fountain mixers or otherelectrical appliances. v I

The invention comprises the circuit arrangements and the combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In th accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a preferred embodiment of the invention associated with a fountain mixer of the type comprising a device switch automatically closed by the association of the cup with the mixer, and Fig. 2 shows a modification of the controller.

In the form shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing the fountain mixer or other appliance to be controlled comprises a motor In which in the case of a mixer drives mixer elements ll adapted to extend into a cup l2 which is positioned in any suitable way as by the retaining means I3, I4 in operative association with the mixer elements. Such devices are generally equipped with an automatic switch l5 which is closed, when the container is put in place, in some manner herein exemplified by the contact of the container with the push member I5 which serves to close the switch. Such fountain mixer and like devices are ordinarily provided with an appliance cord l'l terminating in an appliance plug I8 of some conventional form, which is ordinarily adapted to be plugged into a convenience outlet'l9 associated with the power lines 20.

The present invention comprises a housing 2| provided with a convenience outlet or receptacle 22 for receiving the plug l8 of the appliance to be controlled and with a plug connector 23 to be plugged into the wall receptacleor convenienceoutlet l9.

The leads 24- and 25 from the power plug23 enter the housing 2|, and the lead 25 may pass directly therethrough to one of the contacts of the receptacle 22.

The other lead 24 in the form shown is conbe supplied to the mixer or like appliance. the case of a contact arm making one revolu.

nected to a timer-switch element or contactor which may be in the form of a metal plate 26 having insulating inserts 21 therein, and to one of the contacts of a starter-button 28.

The other terminal of the starter-button is connected to the front contact and energizing coil of a relay 29 and thence to the other terminal of the receptacle 22.

The armature of the relay 29 is connected to the switch arm 32 of the switching device and to one side of self-starting motor 30 and a signallight 3|, the returns from which are connected to the companion lead 25.

With this arrangement, if the plug 18 is not inserted in the receptacle 22 depressing of the starter-button 28 has no energizing effectwith respect to the motor 30 or light 3|. 1

Similarly, if the device switch i5 is not closed depressing of starter-button 28 has no energizing effect on the motor 30 or on signal-1ight 3|. If the plug is in place and the device switch [5 is closed, as by the presence of the cup l2 in the case of the fountain mixer, the closing of the starter-button 28'supplies current through the relay coil 29- and theappliance switch I5 to the appliance motor Ill. The energizing of the coil of relay 29 closes the relay contacts and supplies current from the starter-button 28 to the timermotcr 30 and signal-indicator 3!. The timermotor 30, which, as shown by the broken line in .Fig. 1 is arranged to drive the switch arm 32 at a predetermined rate as hereinafter described,

The timer-motor 30 maybe of any suitable type, v

and preferably comprises a synchronous motor of the type used in ordinary electric clocks. The spacing of the insulating elements 21 in the form shown may be determined as desired to control the length of time ior which current will In tion'per minute, the provision of three equally spaced insulating elements 21' will provide for twenty seconds operation of the mixer. If four such contacts are provided fifteen secondsoper- -ation Will be established.

As soon as the timer-switch reaches its next circuit openingposition, it cuts off the supply of currentfto the timer-motor 30, signal-light 3| 3 and relay coil 29, the appliance l ceases operation and the relay 29 returns to open circuit position.

By this arrangement, with a device merely interposed between the appliance plug l8 and the convenience outlet l 9, complete timed control dependent on the closing of the appliance switch is provided. With this arrangement the operator may position the cup I 2, closing the appliance switch [5, without initiating premature operation of the whippers H apt to cause spilling or splashing of the contents of the cup. If the cup is not properly positioned so as to close the appliance switch i5, the operator cannot start the operation of the appliance or of the timer. When the cup is properly positioned a single depresion of the starter-button initiates the timer operation, which is cut off after the proper mixing interval without further attention by the fountain attendant.

If the starter-button 28 is not depressed for a suilicient time to allow the timer-motor 30 to complete the circuit through the switch 26, 32, on release of the starter-button the signal 3! is extinguished so the operator is immediately informed that the button must be pressed again to initiate the operation.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the arrangement is generally the same, but instead of a brush or commutator type, timer-switch 26, 21, 32, the equipment comprises a pair of breaker points 260, closed by the lands of a cam disc 32a, and opened when the notches 27a of the cam disc come into the position shown. The other elements are similar to those shown in Fig. l and are designated by like numerals with the modifying letter a.

It will be obvious that the new controller may be used with various appliances having device switches and the invention is not limited to the exemplary form of appliance shown. It is further apparent that various types of timer-motors 30-and switch means 26, 21, 32 may be employed Without departin from the invention, and that the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particular form shown.

I claim as my invention:

1. A timing controller for an appliance having an electrically operated element and power leads therefor, said controller comprising circuits connectible between the power outlet and the power leads of the appliance, said circuits comprising a starter-circuit, means for closing said startercircuit to the appliance power leads, a timermotor, means responsive to flow of current in said starter-circuit to said appliance leads for energizing said timer-motor from said starter-circuit, a timer-switch controlled by said timer-motor, a feeding circuit controlled by said timer-switch for energizing said timer-motor and for feeding said appliance leads after opening of said'starter-circuit closing means so long as the circuit to said appliance is maintained.

2. A timing controller for an appliance having an electrically operated element and power leads therefor, said controller comprising circuits connectible between the power outlet and the power leads of the appliance, said circuits comprising a starter-circuit, means for closing said startercircuit to the appliance power leads, a timermotor, means responsive to flow of current in said starter-circuit to said appliance leads for energizing said timer-motor from said startercircuit, a timer-switch controlled by said timermotor, a feeding circuit controlled by said timerswitch for energizing said timer-motor and for feeding said appliance leads after opening of said starter-circuit closing means so long as the circuit to said appliance is maintained, and an indicator circuit energized from said feed circuit as long as current is supplied to it from said starter-circuit or said timer switch.

3. A timing controller for an appliance having an electrically operated element and power leads therefor, said controller comprising circuits connectible between the power outlet and the power leads of the appliance, said circuits comprising a starter-circuit, means for closing said starter circuit to the appliance power leads, a timermotor, means responsive to flow of current in said starter-circuit to said appliance leads for energizing said timer-motor from said starter-circuit, a timer-switch controlled by said timer-motor, a feed circuit controlled by said timer-switch for energizing said timer-motor under control only of' said timer-switch and for feeding said' appliance leads under control of said timer-switch only so long as the circuit to said appliancev is continuously maintained.

4. A timing controller for an appliance having 7 an electrically operated element and power leads therefor, said controller comprising circuits eonnectible between the power outlet and the power leads of the appliance, said circuits comprising a starter-circuit, means for closing said starter circuit to the appliance power leads, a timermotor, means responsive to flow of current insaid starter-circuit to said appliance-leads for'energizing said timer-motor from said starter-circuit, a timer switch controlled by said timer-motor, a feed circuit controlled by said timer-switcnfor energizing said timer-motor under control only of said timer-switch and for feeding said an pliance leads under control of said timer-switch only so long as the circuit to said appliance is continuously maintained, and an indicator-circuit energized from said feed circuit as long as current is. supplied therethrough from said starter-circuit or said timer-switch.

5. In combination with an appliance having an electrically operated element and power leads therefor with a power switch associated therein, a controller comprising circuits for connecting said power leads to a source of current, said circuits comprising a starter circuit, means for closing said starter-circuit to said power leads, a timer-motor, means responsive to flow of current in said starter-circuit to said applia ance leads for energizing said timer-motor from said starter-circuit, a timer-switch controlled by said timer-motor, a feeding circuit controlled by said timer-switch for energizing said timer-mo? tor and for feeding said power leads under control of said timer-switch only so long as the cire cuit to said appliance through said power switch is maintained. 1 l

6. In combination with an appliance having an electrically operated element and power leads therefor with a power switch associated therein, a controller comprising circuits for connecting said power leads to a source of current, said circuits comprising a starter circuit, means for closing said starter-circuit to said power leads, a timer-motor, means responsive to flow of current in said starter-circuit to said appliance leads for energizing said timer-motor from said starter-circuit, a timer-switch controlled by said timer-motor, a feeding circuit controlled by said timer-switch for energizing said timer-motor and for feeding said power leads under control of said timer-switch only so long as the circuit to said appliance through said power switch is maintained, and an indicatorcircuit energized from said feed circuit as long as current is supplied to it from said startercircuit or said timer-switch.

7. In combination with an appliance having an electrically operated element and power leads therefor with a power switch associated therein, a controller comprising circuits for connecting said power leads to a source of current, said circuits comprising a starter circuit, means for closing said starter-circuit to said power leads, a timer-motor and a timer switch driven thereby, means responsive to flow of current in said starter-circuit to said appliance leads for energizing said timer-motor only under control of said timer-switch and for feeding said appliance under control of said timer-switch only so long as the circuit to said appliance through said power switch is continuously maintained.

8. In combination with an appliance having an electrically operated element and power leads therefor with a power switch associated therein, a controller comprising circuits for connecting said power leads to a source of current, said circuits comprising a starter circuit, means for closing said starter-circuit to said power leads, a timer-motor and a timer switch driven thereby, means responsive to flow of current in said starter-circuit to said appliance leads for energizing said timer-motor only under control of said timer-switch and for feeding said appliand an indicator-circuit energized from said feed-circuit as long as current is supplied to it from said starter-circuit or said timer-switch.

9. A controller for timing the operation of an appliance having its own appliance switch, and responsive in operation to the closing of said appliance switch, said controller comprising a timer-motor, a timer-switch operated thereby, a starter-button, a stick-relay, a signal light, and input and output connections, said starterbutton and the coil of said relay being connected in series between one of the input and output connections, another lead connecting from the other input to the other output connection, said timer-switch being connected across said starterbutton in series with the contacts of said relay, said timer-motor and signal-light being connected at one side between said timer switch and said relay contacts and having their returns connected to said other lead.

PHILIP MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,412,568 Mortensen Apr. 11, 1922 1,820,252 Shippy Aug. 25, 1931 1,835,844 Butler Dec. 8, 1931 2,053,143 Frederick Sept. 1, 1936 2,100,284 Kriechbaum Nov. 23, 1937 2,139,523 Smith Dec. 6, 1938 2,143,692 Haar Jan. 10, 1939 2,254,795 Daniels Sept. 2, 1941 

